Member Reviews

This is my first novel by Hepworth, and it did not disappoint. "The Darling Girls" follows four points of view, three of which are foster sisters: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia. The fourth is a mystery narrator who has a story tied to the house of Wild Meadow Farms where a body was found buried underneath. Primarily, the story follows the three sisters as they recall the trauma of the years spent under the care of Miss Fairchild.

Though we have the mystery of who the body is, we also have a story about growing up in a foster home with an emotional manipulator, where abuse may not be physical, but it was felt. It explores how these children grew up with this trauma and how it affects them in the long run. While the mystery of the fourth narrator is meant to be surprising, it was obvious from the beginning who it was, though her story was quite interesting.

I found the story compelling, though at times redundant. The mystery was always prevalent and the story of the children was heartbreaking. Each character has a unique voice and unique coping mechanisms, and this crime seems to bring the girls back to their trauma so they can ultimately heal. I think this was worth the read, although there were some very triggering moments and a lot of descriptors of abuse. The narrator did a great job, but with four points of view, there was no real distinction in voices or mannerisms.

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wow, wow, wow. This blew me away. I felt so attached to all of the main characters and was blown away by the final twist. Loved it

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This book alternates from then and now POVs and I liked how it painted the picture of how and why the girls are as adults.

Overall this was a fund read. I was sucked into the story from the first page and flew through it. The only complaint I have is I felt like the ending fell flat for me. I predicted what was going to happen (which is rare for me LOL).

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Captivating thriller with major build up to an ending you won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of B.A. Paris and Freida McFadden. The audiobooks narrator does have an accent but is very and easy to understand. Highly recommend!

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💙DARLING GIRLS REVIEW💙
rating: 4.5⭐️
genre: suspense
read if you liked: Only if You’re Lucky

Jessica, Alicia and Norah became bonded together forever during their time as foster children at Wild Meadows. Under the care of Ms. Fairchild, the three young girls underwent many traumatic experiences together, some of which they’d like to forget forever. 25 years later they receive a call that forces each of them to deal with the childhood trauma and pain it brought all over again. While Wild Meadows was being torn down remains were found on the property. Some secrets can’t be buried after all…

Sally Hepworth always does such a fantastic job of writing about deep, heavy topics. She knows the way to weave family, relationships, drama and suspense into the story in a way that’s compelling. I really loved the different points of view of the three women and each of their stories of their time in foster care were heartbreaking! The past and present chapters really help give the reader perspective of the situation and create that ultimate suspense that Sally does so well that will leave you on the edge of your seat! This one is a bit of a slow burn suspense, but still had a lot of action packed moments. The ending was PHENOMENAL and DARK! I did a mix of reading and listening and thought both were done so well! I highly recommend checking trigger/content warnings before starting this one though as it is really dark!

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In Darling Girls, Sally Hepworth weaves a dark and gripping narrative that explores the lives of three foster sisters: Jessica, Norah, and Alicia. Raised by their enigmatic foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farm estate, they carry secrets from their past. When a body is discovered under their childhood home, the sisters become key witnesses—or perhaps prime suspects.

Hepworth’s vivid prose keeps the plot moving, toggling between viewpoints and timelines. The story delves into love, betrayal, and the haunting influence of Miss Fairchild. While the descriptions of child abuse can be grim, the mystery unfolds with unexpected twists.

If you enjoy domestic noir and tales of family bonds tested by secrets, Darling Girls is a must-read. Sally Hepworth’s storytelling prowess shines in this suspenseful novel.

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This book centers around 3 women who used to live in a foster home together. Through their childhoods they've developed a sisterly bond. Decades after leaving the foster home, bones are found at the old home and they are forced to return and face their painful past.

To me, this book is the perfect thriller! The pacing was great, there were some plot twists/turns, and not to mention some drama with the complicated family dynamics.

One thing that I did not enjoy about this one is that its a bit darker than Sally's usual novels. No fault to Sally or the book, it is purely just my preference/unawareness that lead to me not enjoying this one as much. Just be sure to please check the trigger warnings before proceeding!

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I heard so many good things about Darling Girls that I had to check it out myself!

Blurb…a story of sisterhood, secrets, love, and murder.

Sally has been hit or miss for me lately due to her history of slow burns. I’m happy to report that while the content of this book is extremely hard to swallow I was truly invested in what happened to these girls. I could not put this one down! Dual timelines and multiple POV’s add to the suspense. This one is a winner for me but I highly recommend checking out the trigger warnings beforehand!

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I really enjoyed this one – I do think I’m a teeny bit predisposed to love SH books because of all the little aussie tidbits, but I also just really enjoyed the story. I loved all the characters, the storyline kept me interested and guessing, I liked the end. But caramello koalas trump tolberone every time! no contest.

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I love Sally Hepworth so I am not surprised that this was another great book.
I loved that this was set in Australia, I’ve been wanting to go there so bad lately so it made it that much better.
Three foster girls and an evil terrible foster mother - years later bones are found on the property.

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I enjoyed this book, each character storyline was well developed, I thought I had it all figured out but the twist at the end was unexpected.

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DARLING GIRLS is another zippy, twisty, and dark thriller from Sally Hepworth.

Set in Australia and centered around three women - Jessica, Alicia, and Nora - who grew up together in an “idyllic” foster home. When a body is uncovered in the rubble of this home, the three reunite and uncover secrets from their past.

I love the way Sally Hepworth combines family dynamics and compelling thrillers and DARLING GIRLS does not sway from this winning formula. The relationship between the sisters is compelling and heartwarming, though at times underdeveloped.

The mystery elements of the story are relatively run of the mill. I guessed the ending coming a mile away, which is unusual for me, but could be due to the many Hepworth novels I’ve consumed in the last few years. The novel is also darker than her others, the subject matter centering on children made it quite hard to read at moments.

Overall: I will always reach for a Sally Hepworth novel when I want something propulsive, particularly if I need a book to break a reading slump.

DARLING GIRLS is out now! Thank you to @macmillanaudio and @stmartinspress for my audio copy 📚

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Thank you NetGalley for this free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second Sally Hepworth book and won’t be my last. She knows how to write a mystery. I loved this book so much. It was captivating to listen to. I loved the different points of view and the women’s fiction aspect of it. It was something you NEEDED to know the ending to.

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Sally Hepworth is always an entertaining read. DARLING GIRLS may not be my favorite of her works — the tempo and some of the plotting don’t deliver the perfect punch – but Hepworth takes good care to keep you engaged in the story.. (Audio edition)

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I read this as a buddy read and it was a good choice! I am normally a romance reader, but I occasionally dabble in other genres. This book definitely made me want to read more thrillers this year. The author did a great job at writing all of the characters, especially Miss Fairchild.

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Three young girls form a lifelong connection when they are each rescued from family tragedy and brought to the home of Holly Fairchild, their new foster mom. But things are not what they seem as they learn to navigate the “rules” of Miss Fairchild.

When a body is discovered at the secluded estate years after they have left it, these three find themselves thrust into the spotlight as questions about that house and what happened to them emerge.

Sally Hepworth has become a go-to thriller author when I’m looking for deeper, emotional books that include a mystery/thriller element. Her characters are always fully fleshed out, her plot easy to follow and pacing always even. I would definitely recommend grabbing a copy for the pool (like this cover subliminally suggests).

🎧 I read this one with my ears and have to say how much I loved Jessica Clarke’s narration. Her voice is crystal clear throughout the entirety of the story and she manages to convey that eerie ominous feel surrounding the foster care home and the psychological games these characters endured.

Read if you like:
•domestic suspense
•psychological thrillers
•ensemble casts
•multiple POVs
•dual timelines

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copies.

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I know when I pick up a book by Sally Hepworth that I'm in for a twisty ride, and this was no exception! I really enjoyed the dual timeline as the book moved back and forth from the present to the past to tell the story of the three sisters - foster children in the same house. Ms. Hepworth kept me guessing - whose bones had they uncovered at their old foster home?

Jessica Clarke is an excellent narrator, I couldn't put this one down!

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This was an intense read that I could not put down! A story that kept me on my toes. I love the deep dive into the characters.

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This was a twisty mystery! I like that every time I thought I had it all figured out, Sally Hepworth would prove me wrong and I would be forced to pivot my way of thinking. I look forward to reading more of Sally's work in the future as this was a thoroughly enjoyable listen.

Jessica Clarke did a great job narrating this novel and I will be looking for more of Jessica's work as well.

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I enjoyed this story of 3 very different sisters yet bonded by blood. The audiobook was fantastic to listen to while I drove. Made me look forward to the longer car rides. You won’t be disappointed!

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